FREE AND FORCED CONVECTION EXPERIMENT

The TD1005V is a self-contained benchtop apparatus designed to simplify the study of convection heat transfer. At its core is a vertical duct that houses the selected heat transfer surface along with all required instrumentation.

Three interchangeable test surfaces are included:

• Flat plate
• Pinned surfaces (representative of tubular heat exchangers)
• Finned surface (typical of air-cooled engines, heat sinks and domestic radiators)

Each surface incorporates an individual electric heater with adjustable power. Students can quickly install the desired surface using simple fixings, enabling fast transition between experiments.
For free convection, heated air naturally rises through the duct. For forced convection, the integrated variable-speed fan draws air through the system and is controlled directly via the touchscreen interface.

Thermocouples measure air and surface temperatures at key points, while a traversing downstream probe enables temperature distribution mapping across the duct for accurate bulk temperature calculations. A handheld probe allows detailed measurement along fins and pins, and a sensitive anemometer provided precise airflow readings.

The integrated colour touchscreen displays all key parameters in real time, enhancing usability and reducing setup time.

For enhanced data handling, the built-in VDAS® OnBoard system enables direct connection to a computer via USB, proving real-time data capture, monitoring, calculation, and graphing (computer not included).

Key features

• The self-contained, free-standing unit includes three interchangeable heat transfer surfaces: flat plate, pinned and finned
• Full-colour touchscreen display for clear, intuitive control and real-time viewing of heater power, air velocity, and temperature readings
• Integrated VDAS® OnBoard system for seamless data acquisition, real time monitoring and USB connectivity to a computer
• Touchscreen-controlled variable speed fan for precise forced convection experiments
• Variable power heater for flexible test conditions
• Built-in thermocouples and sensitive anemometer for accurate measurement of temperatures and airflow
• Handheld thermocouple probe for detailed temperature profiling along fins and pins